“Start with Hello”

At John A. Ferguson Senior High School, several different events took place each day throughout the second week of February which became known as “Start with Hello.” There were a variety of activities set up for students, which was organized by the Psychology Honors Society Club. The main goal for this group of teenagers and the sponsor known as Mr. Sierra is for students at this school to bond with each other, therefore leading to new friendships.

The first day of the week, the Psychology Honors Society Club decided to have an amusing activity, which occurred during first and second lunch time. Monday was known as “Hey Day” due to name tags being passed out to a variety of individuals by members of the club. In the name tag, the following words were written: “Hey, My Name Is …” and then the student would place their name in the blank space. Therefore, the purpose of this activity was for people to get to know each other. It is common among teenagers to not have a full conversation with other people. Thus, this minor activity managed by the Psychology Honors Society Club will lead to such immense results.

On Tuesday, there was an event after school hours which was called the “Mixed Grade Social,” which began at approximately 2:30 and ended at 3:00 – 3:30. During this event, students at John A. Ferguson Senior High School from all the different level of grades could voluntarily attend Mr. Sierra’s Classroom which is Room 308. There was a diversity of snacks as well as card and board games in order for these adolescents to spend time together.

On the following day, which was named “Positivity Wednesday” by the Psychology Honors Society Group, there were multiple posters made and placed around the entire school. Therefore, each banner had post-it notes, and in each note, there was a phrase written such as “Be Happy,” “Smile” or “Live Life to the Fullest.” These small pieces of paper were meant to be collected by students and then passed on to their friends in order to bring positive vibes into their lives. For example, there is a poster located in the entrance of the 10’s Building, and this banner with a heart in the center was colored in green, and inside of it, the words “Friends are the Sunshine of Life” were written, then surrounding the heart were the affectionate post-it notes. Thus, there are many posters hanged around the school for students to remove the small notes and pass on the positivity to others, because one minor action can have a major difference in someone else’s day.

On Thursday, there was an activity known as “No Falcon Flies Alone” in which members of the Psychology Honors Society Club walked around tables during lunchtime. If these individuals noticed that a student was sitting alone, they would bring them company. Thus, these teenagers distributed goodie bags which consisted of sweets and then they would have a small conversation with them to show that they care and are willing to spend time with them.

Ultimately, at the end day of the week, the Psychology Honors Society Club left the best and most significant event for last. On Friday, the club organized the “Speed Friending” occasion that allowed students to connect with each other in multiple ways. This event took place during the first, third, and seventh period, and there were several teachers who decided to send their students to the gym to participate. Hence, students would sit across from each other, and they would begin talking to each other about a variety of topics, such as their hobbies, accomplishments, skills, etc.

During this activity, each pair of students had exactly two minutes to speak to each other, and realize whether they are interested in starting a new friendship with the new person they just met. Thus, the Psychology Honors Society Club’s intended to make this a moment to have a break from school work, as well as meet new people and along the way make new meaningful relationships.

The entire week from February 4 to February 8, the Psychology Honors Society Club has had a busy schedule due to the “Start with Hello” Week, in which this organization attempted to make John A. Ferguson Senior High School a place where students can bond. As a result, a small conversation among two individuals can lead to a worthwhile friendship.